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MARS Board Meeting Minutes
November 15, 2005
Present: Richard Scortino, Clifford Fountain, Donna
Harlan, Steve Nembirkow, Gene Carlo, Mindy Kempner, Bruce Kaiser, Bob McIntyre,
Joe Kurland, Carol Jacobs, Lynn Ryan, Maureen Marshall, Dee Dee Niswonger
Massachusetts public schools are educating just under one million students this
year. Included in that number are 11,929 substantially separate or
out-of-district SPED children whose expenses to the districts are 634 million.
The Circuit Breaker will reimburse 173 million of that, a reimbursement of great
help to all receiving districts. However, the 634 million figure does not
include 160 million in transportation costs for those 11,929 children, a sum
which exceeds the cost of transporting all the remaining children in the
Commonwealth, including regions.
The suggestion is being made to the legislature that out of the 200 million
dedicated to the Circuit Breaker, the remaining 27 million (after the use of 173
million) could go for extreme transportation costs, costs incurred by taking
children great distances to appropriate programs.
The discussion included concern for the run away costs of SPED transportation
and services, and the difficulty of making changes in this emotionally charged
area. It was recognized that some of the higher in-district costs can be for
children who are primarily receiving medical services, for which the school
district is responsible. It was questioned why these non-educational costs are
district costs. Furthermore it was recognized that the Federal Government is
pulling back in its support of Special Needs. The 40% of the original
legislation is now down to about 3% and falling. More and more the “black hole”
of SPED costs take dollars needed to educate the very children who can be
expected to support the severely disadvantaged later in life. If the federal
government met its obligations to SPED, Chapter 70 , in Ma, would go much
further.
A further cost hitting districts is that for the transition programs.
We were reminded of the four year program to provide more accurate apportionment
of local contribution among a town’s school districts. For this budget year,
2006, the four year plan was at 50%; for FY 07, it will be at 75%. These
percentages are a bit of a moving target, with enrollment changes either in one
of more community or in the district as a whole, causing slight variations, as
well as low-income or SPED categories. But the concept is that over this four
year phase-in period apportionments will become more accurate. The accuracy can
only be determined when one has all the numbers for such items as listed above.
By reminding member town officials of this gradual shift in advance some of the
dismay caused by increasing responsibility may be ameliorated.
Since the July 1st beginning of this current fiscal year the state’s revenue has
increased 1.7 billion over estimates. The revenues are coming from consumer
spending and because people are working. The Governor is talking about a tax cut
down to 5% from the current 5.3%. There is concern that voters will vote for
this because they do not make a connection between higher property taxes and
lower state taxes. They do not see that the tax burden is being shifted from
income to property, nor do they understand that the state has consciously worked
to shift expenses away from the state and onto the communities. If they express
their anger at steadily increasing local taxes by voting for the proposed tax
cut, they will only be exacerbating the current trend.
During the time this shift has been going on the taxpayers have been generous in
their response to supporting schools. It is time now for the state to do its
share.
In January or February there will be a 27% increase in the cost of electricity,
a rate increase to cover the cost of generating electricity. National Grid will
monitor a school district for energy savings. Call National Grid for further
information. They can help reduce kilowatt usage by large amounts.
There may be a “transition” budget out of the legislature. MASS is working to
have a fuel sum included to help districts with increased energy costs for this
year.
The DoE’s budget has been sent to the Governor. The increases for Chapter 70
will not cover inflation.
Substantially more money is being put into Assessment and Accountability which
includes the EQA funding.
Other areas to receive increases are:
Charter School facilities
Educational Services in Institutional Settings
Transportation of Non-Resident Students
Circuit Breaker
Charter School Reimbursement Program
There are increases under Assessment and Accountability, under Categorical
Grants, and DoE Administration and Technology. Under Categorical Grants the
Gifted and Talented program, which touches 300,000 students, has increased by
1,000,000,000.
We believe that regional transportation has been level funded in this budget.
Level funding individual district budgets under transportation is a safe move to
make at this time. Our legislators are well aware of the needs of regional
schools and we will push hard this winter to ensure growth in the line item.
52 cents out of every increased dollar in “average” school budgets goes now to
increases in health insurance and fuel. The State thinks this huge increase is
going into teacher salaries.
The good news is that there is money to go after this year. The message we need
to get to our legislators is that we are grateful for what they have done for
us, and we are grateful for what they will do for us, and we do not want any
strings attached to new money. There are too many instances of new money being
slated for purposes which are not suitable to particular districts. Districts
vary too much to have outside stipulations.
Transportation, Chapter 70 and fair and equitable distribution of new money are
primary issues for this year. The Circuit Breaker and adding transportation onto
it are also on this list.
Returning to the costs of SPED the discussion included the value of
collaboration between school districts, particularly in supporting one another’s
low incidence programs. The distrust from one district to another needs to be
studied and reduced.
We are our own worst enemies when we do not get the end-of-the-year reports in
on time, and the Oct. 1 count. The figures generated by these reports are used
to calculate costs we want the legislature to meet. Estimates are not as
powerful as accurate figures.
Next meeting is at Blackstone Valley Voc. Tech. On Dec. 13 A map will be
included with the agenda.
Notable quote from Meeting: “going through an EQA is like getting a colonoscopy
without medication”.
Have a great Thanksgiving!
Respectfully submitted by Dee Dee Niswonger
For More Information Contact:
Massachusetts Association of Regional Schools
P.O. Box 334, Williamsburg, MA 01096-0334
Tel: 413-268-3607
E-mail:
niswonger@comcast.net
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Massachusetts Association of
Regional Schools